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 Chardonnays are now so much more—or less—than the over-oaked white wines that led many of us to apply the ABC rule (Anything But Chardonnay) when selecting a wine. Those chardonnays were mostly produced in California and were very high in alcohol, heavy, and sweet. They seemed too big for summer and not big enough for winter. Well, all that has changed. Today’s chardonnays, chosen with a bit of care, are delightful, fresh, clean, crisp, and well balanced, much like the French chardonnays that have stood the test of time. But if you prefer oaky chardonnay, you have not been forgotten by some current winemakers.
Chardonnay is one of the most widely planted grape varietals in the world, and most famous as the grape used in Burgundy for French chablis and their notable white burgundy. It is also one of the main grapes in champagne and sparkling wine.
There are many styles and flavors of chardonnay. Characteristics of the wine take on the land’s terrior and come to life in the fermenting process. Chardonnay at its best is a dry white wine, with just a slight touch of sweetness. Aromas and flavors consist of apples, pears, peach, lemon, lime, grapefruit and pineapple. When aged in oak barrels, butter, cream, vanilla, and oaky, smoky, toasty, and mineral notes appear. Flavors grow in your mouth, leaving a long, complex finish. Chardonnay can stand up to most foods, making this a positive choice for most menus.
You can find outstanding chardonnays produced in the United States—especially in California, New York and Washington. You can also find great chardonnay abroad; from Argentina, Chile, France, Greece, Italy, South Africa, New Zealand, and more. Every country has its own individuality and wines vary from region to region. Many chardonnays age well, developing more complex, subtle flavors over the years—a favorite white wine for collectors.
Producers to look for from California are Au Bon Climate, Chateau St. Jean, Corley, Cuvaison, Deerfield Ranch, Falcor, Grgich Hills, Hanzell, J.Lohr, Justin, Merriam Vineyards, Olabisi Winery, Rombauer, Rutherford Hill, and St Francis. From New York, look for Dr. Frank Konstantin, Lieb Cellars, Macari and Millbrook Vineyards, and from Washington State, Chateau St. Michelle, Columbia Crest and Hogue. Producers abroad are Albert Bichot, Boroli, Brancott, Casa Lapostolle, Gaja Gaia & Rey, Joseph Drouhin and Louis Jadot.
Chardonnay grapes produce some of the best late harvest dessert wines. Judy Mattera of Sweet Solutions, not surprisingly, loves sweet wines. Judy is an acclaimed pastry chef and has worked at several prestigious restaurants in Boston. She now consults for restaurants and retailers, and teaches wine and dessert pairing at Gordon’s Fine Wines in Waltham, Mass. as well as at food and wine shows, corporate events, restaurants and wine dinners. She also writes about sweet and fortified wines for various publications.
When Judy chooses wines for dessert menus, she must first identify the aromas and flavors. In pairing sweet wine with dessert, there are guidelines to follow. Judy emphasizes that the wine has to be sweeter than the dessert so know the sweetness levels, and pair delicate to delicate—completing your meal with balance and elegance.
For summer pairings, Judy highly recommends Joy by Rombauer Vineyards in Napa, and Wolffer Late Harvest Chardonnay from Long Island. Both are tropical, fruity and lush, pairing well with peach tarts and nectarine crisps, topped with almonds and served with vanilla ice cream. Another great pairing is Steele’s Late Harvest Chardonnay. The wine has aromas of peaches and honey, with hints of citrus, and tastes of stone fruit with a lasting finish. It is amazing served with mascarpone semifreddo with grilled peaches and Amaretti. Judy always recommends champagne and sparkling wines for dessert pairing, as well as moscato. Sweet wines can also be served as dessert on their own.
Davide Crusoe, General Manager at BOKX 109 American Prime, a new high-end restaurant in Newton, Massachusetts, has a large selection of chardonnay and dessert wines. You can find Robert Foley and Marimar chardonnay from California on his summer list. Davide’s concept of a great wine list is to have fun by offering a wide variety of choices and to choose wines that are hard to find on other wine lists in the area.
Davide’s wine list works well with Chef Evan Percoco’s American cuisine. The list is fantastic with more than 400 wines, 20 choices by the glass, and a very impressive half bottle selection—one of the largest around. With such a large wine inventory, Davide keeps a close eye on their wine storage. He is constantly checking temperatures in the wine cellar making sure all the wines keeps their true flavors. They also offer private wine lockers for their special guests.
BOKX 109 is fortunate to be located in the new Hotel Indigo—an urban oasis with luxurious details. During the summer season, the amenities extend to the beautiful pool and private cabanas, an outdoor bar and gas-lit fire pits, all just steps from the restaurant.
If you like to grill outdoors, stop by one of the many Meat House butcher shops. There are ten locations throughout New Hampshire and Maine, and three franchise stores in Massachusetts. Fine wines are available at the shops overseen by Tom Brock, the wine director, who also heads the beer and cheese departments.
Tom is a CWE (certified wine educator), one out of only 270 in the world. Tom tastes seven to ten new wines every day. He brings his wine knowledge to his customers by offering wine classes and tastings. When choosing, he looks for wines that have great value. He feels bringing together all the elements are important for a complete dining experience.
Shopping for wine at the Meat House is easy. Tom uses descriptive tags—light, clean, crisp, fruit-driven, crowd pleaser, etc. His 100+ bottle wine selection changes by the season. You can always find a selection of chardonnay because it goes well with their sauces and meats. Tom recommends LaCrema from Sonoma and Tamarak from Washington. Other white wines he enjoys are prosecco, pinot grigio and riesling. And, you will always find a large selection of red wine, during any season.
My Wine-y Sister, located at the Atlantic House Hotel in York Beach Maine, is a lovely boutique wine shop. Linda Sirois is the younger sister of two brothers. Linda, her husband and one brother, own the business. They recently celebrated their one year anniversary.
My Wine-y Sister attracts both local customers and people visiting the desirable beach community. They carry about 250 wine selections at any given time. When searching for wine, Linda looks for unusual, hard-to-find wines, as well as popular ones. She loves rosé in the summer, and suggests “Sophia” by Coppola, which is made from pinot noir grapes. She also recommends, chardonnay, chenin blanc, tocai, and red blends from Spain and Chile. You can find wines here ranging from $10-$100, and higher if you desire.
Custom made gift baskets filled with wine and accessories are available, too. They also carry beautiful designer corkscrews by Laguile, a new line of durable glassware named Tritan by Schott Zwiesel, and have an impressive selection of artisan cheeses and pâte. Why not add a bottle of chardonnay to your customized picnic basket and head to the beach? Cheers!
Get Out Your Calendar
Tanglewood Wine and Food Classic
August 6–8, 2009
Lenox, Massachusetts
Meet renowned wine producers while sampling great food by acclaimed chefs in the breath taking Berkshire Mountains. The Grand Tasting will be held in the Hawthorne Tent with wines and people from all over the world. Tanglewood is home to the world’s oldest music festival and is the Summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. For tickets and inform-ation www.tanglewoodwineandfoodclassic.com or call 888-266-1200.
Bar Harbor Wine Festival
October 9–17, 2009
Harborside Hotel and Marina, Bar Harbor, Maine
Grand tasting reception featuring celebrity Maine chefs, winery representatives, local wine retailers, and local cheese makers. Attend Grand Vintner’s Dinners, wine dinners, and flight nights with select wines from all over the world. For more information, call 207-288-5033.
Martha’s Vineyard Food and Wine Festival
October 16–18, 2009
Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts
A celebration of Sea, Farm and Vine. Leading Chefs will present the best locally sourced fresh seafood, produce, and meats, while Vintners offer samplings of wines from around the world. The Friday night Opening Reception and Saturday afternoon Grand Tasting are held outdoors on the grounds of the Martha's Vineyard Museum. For tickets and information visit www.mvfoodandwine.com or call 508-939-0880.
Harvest on the Harbor
October 22–24, 2009
Ocean Gateway in Downtown Portland, Maine
Enjoy incredible local foods, exceptional wines from around the world, amazing chefs and presentations and fun on Portland’s waterfront. This three-day event is presented by the Greater Portland Convention & Visitors Bureau, and delivers a world class experience. There are seminars, tastings, and dinners by legendary Maine chefs. For tickets and information, visit www.harvestontheharbor or call 207-772-4994 x221.
For more wine-related events in your area,
go to www.localwineevents.com
JoAnn Actis-Grande, a freelance writer living in Portsmouth, New
Hampshire, is a lover of food and wine, who has traveled to many great
wine regions.
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